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Oct 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus discovers the New World
The start of it all. People say that without this man, places like the US, Mexico, and Canada would cease to exist with the people that reside there today. -
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English set sail for present-day America
Without these people sailing for religious freedom or colonial settlement, there would not be an America. -
America declares independence from Britain
The former colonies of Britain break away from Britain's harsh laws, forming their own (weak and unsafe) country. -
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Transcendentalism
A movement that started in the New England region, protesting against the general culture and society at the time. The belief that the individual's motives "transcends" the limitations associated with religion. -
"The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne
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"O Captain, My Captain!" by Walt Whitman
A poem by Walt Whitman. -
Fifteenth Amendment ratified
Prohibits discrimination of any person based on race, color, or condition. This gave blacks their freedom to do almost whatever they wanted, without consequence (though, most whites at the time exploited quite a few loopholes to prevent this from happening as much as possible). -
"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain
December 1884 - England publication date
February 1885 - United States publication date -
World War I starts
The start of World War I. Trauma and stress from this war gave rise to the modernism movement. One of the most infamous wars of all time. -
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The Harlem Renaissance
Emerged about the same time as the modernism movement. This movement emphasized the importance of black culture. Started in Harlem in New York City. -
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Modernism Movement
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Nineteenth Amendment ratified
Established women's suffrage. This, along with the modernist movement, was the main reason for the many female authors throughout the 1920s. -
"The Emperor of Ice-Cream" by Wallace Stevens
A poem by Wallace Stevens. -
"Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost
A poem by Robert Frost. -
"I, too, sing America" by Langston Hughes
A poem by Langston Hughes. -
"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
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"Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston
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World War II starts
The second world war thus far. This time, many more countries get involved, making it even more critical for countries to exist in peace. Results of this war included recognition of the US as a superpower, and the creation of the UN. -
"The Pearl" by John Steinbeck
Based on a Mexican folk tale. -
Period: to
The Beat Generation
A group of American writers inspired by the lifestyle of the 1950s. Most writing during this time had relation to sex and drugs. -
"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger
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"Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
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Period: to
Post-Modernism Movement
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
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"Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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"One Art" by Elizabeth Bishop
A poem by Elizabeth Bishop. Initially written with the intent of incorporating the meaning of several of her letters.
